^pyi fllE PROSPEOT I MON 



1801-iMi 




^f tliiH iianiplilet in due to tlie ^ift i 
lt)«'HnBdrf(l dollars for this purport'. 



J$ Forsooth, brothers, fellowship is heaven, and lack of fel- 

lowship is hell ; fellowship is life, and lack of fellowship is 
death ; and the deeds that ye do upon the earth, it is for 
fellowship's sake that ye do them ; and the life that is in it, 
that shall live on and on for ever, and each one of you part of 
it, while many a man's life upon the earth from the earth shall 

wane. 

Dream of John Ball. 



The Prospect Union 



1891-99 



WITH ILLUSTRATIONS 




CAMBRIDGE 

PUBLISHED BY THE UNION 

1899 



THE HOUSE BY THE . SIDE OF THE ROAD 

"He was a frieud to man, and lived in a house liy the side of the 
road." — Homer. 

There are hermit souls that live withdrawn 

In the peace of their self-content ; 
There are souls, like stars, that dwell apart, 

In a f ellowless firmament ; 
There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths 

Where highways never ran ; — 
But let me live by the side of the road 

And be a friend to man. 

Let me live in a house by the side of the road, 

Where the race of men go by — 
The men who are good and the men who are bad. 

As good and as bad as I. 
I would not sit in the scorner's seat, 

Or hurl the cynic's ban ; — 
Let me live in a house by the side of the road 

And be a friend to man. 

I see from my house by the side of the road. 

By the side of the highway of life, 
The men who press with the ardor of hope, 

The men who are faint Avith the strife. 
But I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears — 

Both parts of an infinite plan ; — 
Let me live in my house by the side of the road 

And be a friend to man. 

I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead 

And mountains of wearisome height; 
That the road passes on through the long afternoon 

And stretches away to the night. 
But still I rejoice when the travellers rejoice., 

And weep with the strangers that moan, 
Nor live in my house by the side of the road 

Like a man who dwells alone. 

Let me live in my house by the side of the road 

Where tl\e race of men go by — 
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are 
strong. 

Wise, foolish — so ami. 
Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat 

Or hurl the cynic's ban? — 
Let me live in my house by the side of the road 

And be a friend to man. 

Sam Waltkr Foss. 



MAR 10 1913 






^ 



CONTENTS 



Note — Numerals following the name of a person always sig- 
nify his year of graduation from Harvard University . 

PAGE 

Calendar 7 

Programme 8 

Administrative Officers 

The Prospect Union 9 

The Prospect Union Association .... 12 

What The Prospect Union Is 15 

The Beginnings of the Union. By Francis Greenwood 

Peabody, Professor in Harvard University ... 16 

The Union and the University. By George L. Paine, '96 19 

The Union and "Workingmen. By A Workingman . . 24 

Historical Sketch 25 

The Classes; Courses of Study, 1898-99 ... 34 

The Lectures 42 

Active Membership 47 

Government 48 

The Corporation 49 

Relation to Other Institutions 50 

The Building and Land . .... 51 

The Attitude of_ the Union toward Religion . . 55 

Conclusions Based on Eight Years' Experience . 55 

Looking Forward 58 

Teachers in The Prospect Union, 1891-1899 ... 60 
Report of the Treasurer of the Prospect Union 

Association 65 

Report of the Treasurer of The Prospect Union . 66 

Other Educational Efforts 67 






He's true to God who's true to man ; wherever wrong is done, 
To the humblest and the weakest, 'neath the all-beholding sun, 
That wrong is also done to us ; and they are slaves most base 
Whose love of right is for themselves, and not for all their race. 

James Russell Lowell.* 



* At the time of his deatli, Mr. Loweli, was a Sustaining Member of Thb 
Prospect Union. 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



The Prospect Union Building . . . Frontispiece 

Some Corporate and Sustaining Members, Past and 
Present: Ex-Governor William E. Russell, James 
Russell Lowell, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Edward 
Everett Hale, Professor Charles Eliot Norton, 
President Charles W. Eliot 11 

A Class in Session 14 

Chairmen of the Committee on Classes, Correspond- 
ing Secretaries, etc., 1893-98: James K. Whit- 
temore, '95; George L. Paine, '96; Henry Wilder 
Foote, '97; Robert L. Hoguet, '99; Arthur C. Nash, 
'94; Frank W. Grinnell, '95; Henry I. Bowditch, 
•98 ; James D. Dole, '99 20 

Treasurers of the Union, 1892-98 : Walton B. McDaniel, 
'93; Nathan Hayward, '95; Henry G. Gray, '97; 
Francis W. Palfrey, '98 ; Paul M. Hubbard, '98 ; 
Philip M. Tucker, '99 22 

Birthplace of The Prospect Union^ — The Frospect 

House 26 

Some of the Founders of the Union : Professor Fran- 
cis G. Peabody; Rev. Robert Erskine Ely; "The 
Big Four" — Robert M.Lovett, '92: Louis F. Berry, 
'92; George J. Peirce, '90; Carlos C. Closson, '92 28 

Fac-Simile of a Letter from Oliver Wendell Holmes 32 

Members of the Executive Committee of 1898, Group 
A : Carlton Pearson, Charles A-. Sievwright, Joseph 
P. St. Cceur, Edward Schwartz, John F. Harring- 
ton, Thomas H. Hall 36 

Members of the Executive Committee of 1898, Group B : 
James A. Stinson, Thomas Savage, Edward A. 
McMaster, Francis P. Sheehan, William H. Nagle, 
William T. Pierce 37 

A Wednesday Evening Lecture 44 

The Reading Room 46 

The Office 52 

A Residence Room ........ 54 



MEMBERSHIP FEES, ETC. 

Active membership, with all privileges, per year, $2.00 
Associate membership, per year, . . . . 2.00 
Sustaining membership, per year, . . . . 5.00 
Life membership, 25.00 

Sustaining, Associate and Life Members and ContribTitors have all the 
privileges of active members except voting and holding office. 

Annual or occasional contributions of larger or 
smaller amounts are solicited. 

Gifts toward the cancelling of the mortgage of $6000 
on the land and building are particularly desired. Such 
gifts should be sent to George G. Wright, Treasurer of 
the Corporation, 86 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge, Mass. 

Sustaining, Associate and Life Membership fees, 
and contributions (except toward reducing the mort- 
gage) should be sent to Philip M. Tucker, '99, 
Treasurer of the Union, 744 Massachusetts Avenue, 
Cambridgeport, Mass. 

Telephone, 46-3 Cambridge. 



FORM OF BEQUEST 

I give and bequeath to the Prospect Union Associa- 
tion of Cambridge, Mass., a corporation duly estab- 
lished by law, the sum of 



CALENDAR 

The meetings oj the Executive Commiiiee are held on the 

fourth Thursday evening of every month except July 

and August. 
The business and social meetings oj the active ynembershiii 

are held on the first Wednesday evening of every 

month. 

1898. 

Se2)t .21, Wednesday . Opening Meeting. 

Oct, 10, Monday. Classes begin. 

Nov. 2, Wednesday. Semi-annual election. 

Nov. 24, Thursday. Thanksgiving Day; a holiday. 

Recess for the Classes from Dec. 22, 1898, to 
Jan. 3, 1899. 
1899. 
Feb. 1, Wednesday. Celebrationof Eighth Anniversary. 
Feb. 22, Wednesday. Washington's Birthday ; a holiday. 
April 19, Wednesday. Patriots' Day; a holiday. Out- 
ing to Lexington and Concord. 

Recess for the Classes from April 15 to 
April 23. 

May 3, Wednesday. Semi-annual election. 

May 6, Satui'day. Classes close. 

May 23, Thursday. Annual Meeting of The Prospect 

Union Association. 
June 28, Wednesday. Weekly meetings close. 

Summer Vacation from June 29 to Sept. 19. 

(Building open as at other times for the use of members.) 

Sept. 20, Wednesday. Opening Meeting. 

Oct. 9, Monday. Classes begin. 

Nov. 1, Wednesday . Semi-annual election. 

Nov. 30, Thursday. Thank? giving Day ; a holiday. 

Recess for the Classes from Dec. 21, 1899, to 
Jan. 2, 1900. 



PROGRAMME 

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 7.30 to 
9.30 P.M. Classes in English ; Foreign languages, 
modern and ancient; Geography, History, Social 
Science, Philosophy ; Natural Sciences ; Mathematics ; 
Drawing, Penmanship, Book-keeping, Stenography, 
Music. 
(Jnlij members of the Union are admitted to the classes. 

Wednesday, 8 p.m. 

Lectures and Entertainments. 

First Wednesday of every month. Social and Business 

Meeting. 
Third Wednesday of every month. Ladies' Night. 
Wednesdays preceding Thanksgiving Day, Christmas 

Day and New Yeai's Day, Entertainments. 

Saturday, 8 p.m. 

First Saturday of every month, INIusical. 
Second and fourth Saturdays, Smoke Talks in the Social 
Room. 

Lectures, Musicals and Entei'tainmeiits, unless otherwise 
announced, are open to the jmblic. 



Reading Room. Daily, weekly and monthly newsjiapers 

and magazines on tile. 
Social Room. The use of tobacco permitted. 
SiiOAVER Baths. Fee for soap, etc., five cents. 
Library. A money dei>osit required on loan of text-books. 

Other books loaned without a deposit. 

These privileges are for members only. 

Cambridgeport Delivery Station of the Cambridge 
Public Library, in the Office. Open to the public. 



The Prospect Union Building is open everif day in the 
year from 7 a.m. to 10.30 p).m. 



THE PROSPECT UNION 

Officers 

President : Robert Erskine Ely, Prospect Union Build- 
ing, Cambridgeport. 

Vice-President: Carlton Pearson, 310 Harvard St., 
Cambridge. 

Recording Secretary : Edward Schwartz, 30 Pearl St., 
Cambridgeport. 

Corresponding Secretary: Burr A. Hollister, 1902, 
66 College House, Cambridge. 

Financial Secretary : Charles A. Sievwright, Prospect 
Union Building. 

Treasurer: Philip M. Tucker, '99, 80 Grays Hall, 
Cambridge. 

Auditor: William F. Johnson, 15 Market St., Cam- 
bridgeport. 

Supervisor of Classes: Henry Wilder Foote, '97, 
7 Wadsworth House, Cambridge. 

Steward : Clarence L. Hodsdon, Prospect Union Build- 
ing. 

Chairmen of Standing Committees 

On Classes: William Bayard Cutting, Jr., 1900, 23 

Claverly Hall, Cambridge. 
071 Lectures: William B. Wheelwright, 1903, 25 Holy- 

oke St., Cambridge. 
On Mtcsic : Walter Krentzlin, Prospect Union Building. 
On Library: Carl Stahleker, 56 Banks St., Cambridge. 
On Pleading Poom : Samuel F. Goodell, 12 Lake St., 

Cambridgeport. 
Social: John J. Heanue, 185 Elm St., Cambridgeport. 
House: John J. Coyne, 7 Marvin Place, Cambridgeport. 



10 THE FHUHPECT UNION 

Executive Committee 

The Officers and Chairmen of Standing Committees above 

named. 
Professor Francis G. Peabody, Harvard University. 
James A. Stinson, Riverside Press, Cambridgeport. 
George M. Clukas, 130 Austin St., Cambridgeport. 
Frank J. Stiles, 235 Western Ave., Cambridgeport. 
William White, 136 Winsor St., Cambridgeport. 
Francis W. Smith, 162 Putnam Ave., Cambridgeport. 
Robert J. Jefferson, 215 Chestnut St., Cambridgeport. 
W. Rodman Peabody, '95, 53 State St., Boston. 
Alexander Whiteside, Jr., '95, 6 Newbury St., Boston. 
Elliot H. Goodwin, '95, 8 Follen St., Cambridge. 



The Officers, Chairmen of Standing Committees, and other 
members of the Executive Committee are elected by the 
active members from their own number semi-annually, on 
the first Wednesday of May and November. The function 
of the Committee is the supervision of the Union. Its reso- 
lutions are advisory only, requiring confirmation by the 
active members of the Union at a business meeting. Regu- 
lar meetings of the Executive Committee are held monthly ; 
special meetings may be called at any time. The President 
of the Union is the presiding otficer; the Corresponding 
Secretary is secretary of the Committee. The membership 
of the Committee may be enlarged by the Union at will. 




Some Corporate and Sustaining Members, Past and Present 
Ex-Governor William E. Russell James Russell Lowell 

Oliver Wendell Holmes Edward Everett Hale 

Professor Charles Eliot Norton President Charles W. Eliot 



THE PROSPECT UNION ASSOCIATION 

Incorporated^ 2S96, htj special act of the 
Massachusetts Legislature 

Preside nl : Professor Francis G. Peabody, Harvard 

University. 
Secretary: James A. Stinson, Riverside Press, Cam- 

bridgeport. 
Treasurer: George G. Wright, 86 Mt. Auburn St., 

Cambridge. 
Directors: The Officers above named. 

Robert Erskine Ely, Prospect Union Building, 

C'ambridgeport. 
JoHX Hopewell, 129 Wasliington St., Boston. 
Auditor: John H. Corcoran, 587 Massachusetts Ave., 
Cambridgeport. 



Edward J. Brandon, City Clerk, City Hall. Cambridge- 
jjort. 

John Graham Brooks, 8 Francis Ave., Cambridge. 

Rev. Walter Cali.ey, 112 Upland Road, North Cam- 
bridge. 

President Charles W. Eliot, Harvard University. 

Francis C. Foster, 28 State St., Boston. 

Frank M. Foster, Reversible Collar Co., Cambridge. 

John F. Harrin<;ton, 302 Green St., Cambridgeport. 

Thomas Went worth Higginson, 25 Buckingham St., 
Cambridge. 

Rev. George Hodges, Dean of the Episcopal Theologi- 
cal School, Cambridge. 



THE PROSPECT UNION ASSOCIATION 13 

James J. Myeks, 53 State St., Boston. 

William H. Nagle, 101 Pearl St., Cambridgeport. 

Professor Charles Eliot Norton, Harvard University. 

Theodore H. Raymond, 678 Massachusetts Ave., Cam- 
bridgeport. 

Edmund Reardon, 24 Commerce St., Boston. 

Denman W. Ross, 24 Craigie St., Cambridge. 

Charles A. Sievwright, Prospect Union Building, Cam- 
bridgeport. 

Joseph G. Thorp, 89 State St., Boston. 

Charles J. Wood, 114 Austin St., Cambridgeport. 

James A. Woolson, 136 Summer St., Boston. 

Rev. David N. Beach,* Denver, Colorado. 
Ex-Governor William E. Russell,! Cambridge. 

* Resigned. f Deceased. 



The Prospect Union Association is a self -perpetuating 
corporation of twenty-five members, of which at least eiglit 
shall be active members of The Prospect Union wlienever 
practicable. Tlie cliief function of the Association is to hold 
in trust for The Prospect Union all its real estate and invested 
funds. The annual meeting of the Association is on the 
fourth Thursday of May in each year. 



WHAT THE PROSPECT UNION IS 

rpHE PROSPECT UNION is an association of 
workingmeu and of stndents and teachers in 
Harvard University, on tlie basis of common manhood 
and in the spirit of brotlierhood. There are evening 
classes taught by Harvard stndents, in elementary, 
high school and college studies ; lectures by members 
of the Harvard Faculty and other persons ; musical 
and other entertainments. Teachers and lecturers 
give their services. Workingmen who are active 
members pay for all privileges of the Union a fee of 
two dollars a year, or twenty-five cents a month with 
an initiation fee of twenty-five cents. The Union 
owns the old city hall building, with adjacent land, on 
Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridgeport. Three 
officers of the Union, and sometimes one or two vol- 
unteer workers, reside in the building, in which are a 
reading room, a smoking room, and shower baths for 
the use of members. The building is open every day 
in the year from 7 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. The relation 
between the Union and the University is unofficial, 
but without the University the Union would not have 
been organized and could not now be carried on. 
The membership averages about five hundred work- 
ingmen, and the number of student-teachers from 
Harvard is from sixty to seventy-five during a college 
year. 



16 THE PROSPECT UNION 

In order to meet current expenses, it is necessary 
to supplement the income of the Union from active 
membership dues, rentals and invested funds, b}^ sus- 
taining membership fees at $5.00, associate member- 
ship fees at $2.00, and annual and occasional gifts 
of larger and smaller sums. There still remains a 
mortgage on the land and building of $6000, for the 
cancelling of which subscriptions are earnestly re- 
quested. The treasurer of the corporation is Mr. 
George G.Wright, 86 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge. 



THE BEGINNINGS OF THE UNION 

By Francis Greenwood Peabody 

Phimmer Professor of Christian 3IoraIs in Harvard Unirersitt/ 

\ N institution may begin with a plan, or it may 
begin with a man. Sometimes there comes, 
first a scheme, then an endowment, and finally a per- 
son ; sometimes there come, first a person, then a 
few other persons with him, then a gradually unfold- 
ing plan, and finally a working institution. The 
first way of growth is artificial and forced. It is like 
tying branches to a trunk and making a tree ; the 
other way of growth is the way of nature, the 
branches putting themselves forth because of the life 
within. The Prospect Union grew as nature grows. 
A young minister had his parish work among the 
poor of Cambridge while at the same time he was 
attending lectures at the University. What was 



THE BEGINNINGS OF THE UNION 17 

more natural than for him to think of bringing the 
forces of this Universitj' to bear on the life of the less 
fortunate? He happened to have his rooms in a 
building which had once been a hotel, called the 
Prospect House. The No-License policy of Cam- 
bridg-e had made such a hotel unprofitable, and vari- 
ous clubs of workingmen had moved into these con- 
venient quarters. Mr. Ely talked with a few Har- 
vard students about starting in his rooms a few 
classes for workingmen ; and early in 1891 an organi- 
zation was formed, with forty-four members. It was 
a genuine democracy. On the one hand were a large 
number of men in Cambridge who worked with their 
hands all day, and were hungry for intellectual oppor- 
tunity ; on the other hand were a great many young 
men who worked with their heads all day and knew 
little of the ideals and problems of hand-workers. 
Would it not be good for both sets of people to be 
brought into real fellowship ? Could there not be a 
Liberty and Equality and Fraternity which should be 
more than a motto ; — a real freedom for honest 
speech ; a real equality of mutual confidence and 
respect ; and the real fraternity of a working brother- 
hood? Such were the ideals with which a dozen col- 
lege men and twenty hand-workers began the organ- 
ization. The name they assumed, "The Prospect 
Union," came of the building in which they happened 
to meet. It is now, practically, without meaning, 
but perhaps no less valuable on that account, and it 
has already a sentimental and historical interest 
which would make a more descriptive name hard to 
accept. 



18 THE PROS FECI UNION 

The beginnings of the Union were of the very sim- 
plest description. The rooms were bare and small ; 
the coffee and crackers and cheese on Wednesday 
evenings were served in Spartan fashion ; the mem- 
bership was very varied, and some men joined the 
Union in order to ventilate their special social pro- 
grammes. But very soon the atmosphere of real 
liberty and fraternity brought such men, — Catholics 
and Protestants, Socialists and Anarchists, black and 
white, Russians, Swedes, Irish, Americans, — into a 
working unity, and there has never been any serious 
friction or any sense of being suppressed. College 
boys were eager to give their time and love ; and the 
interest and loyalty of a constantly enlarging body of 
members gave confidence in the principles first laid 
down. 

Such were the days of small things in the history 
of the Union, It was a very small work, illuminated 
by a very large hope. Of its expansion in member- 
ship, of its removal to a more luxurious and adequate 
home, and of its alliance with other interests of public 
welfare, others will write ; but to any one who had 
the privilege of sharing those first days of plain living 
and generous thinking, and those first meetings of 
open-minded college boys with hard-working hand- 
laborers, no later and greater achievement of the 
Union can ever be happier to recall than are those 
modest beginnings of its work. 



THE UNION AND THE UNIVERSITY 19 

THE UNION AND THE UNIVERSITY 

By George Lyman Paine, '96 

TTARVARD UNIVERSITY sends a volunteer 
faculty of seventy-five student-teachers to The 
Prospect Union, thus making possible the existence of 
this workingmen's college. In this paper I limit my- 
self to a brief exposition of some ways in which the 
students benefit from their work at the Union. 

First and most important: the University man, 
who is primarily a student, is brought into contact 
with the practical world. Union is effected between 
the lecture room and real life, the book and the man. 
That the student needs and appreciates acquaintance 
with the rushing life-struggle around him is shown in 
the yearly increasing number of men who, under the 
inspiration and guidance of the Student Volunteer 
Committee, the Young Men's Christian Association, 
Mr. Birtwell and others, are taking part in every kind 
of helpful social work, such as Boys' Clubs, Sailor 
Missions, Chinese Sunday Schools, etc. This sort of 
work is essential if the University is to turn out men 
best prepared to further peace and happiness. The 
first step toward the amelioration of social conditions 
must be more perfect sympathy between all classes, 
which can come only through that mingling of the 
classes which will inevitably result in better mutual 
understanding. In the Union class room, student 
meets workingman on an equal footing of common 
manhood, and in a friendliness conceivable only to 
those who have experienced in what a wonderful way 







g^M 



a a 
6 fi 



'o ^ „' 



i4 ^ 
1^" < 



THE UNION AND THE UNIVERSITY 21 

the Union lives out its motto of Liberty, Equality, 
Fraternity. 

Secondly : President Eliot has said that the way 
to learn P^nglish is to write it. Another way is to 
teach it ; and this applies equally to subjects other 
than English. Knowledge comes by slow hammering. 
Let a man take a class in French or Algebra or 
History, and the chances are ten to one that he will 
never forget what he has succeeded in drilling into 
his patient, plodding scholars. But, better still, with 
this cementing in the mind of facts and theories comes 
practical knowledge and training in apt application. 
I have gone many times to my class in Economics, 
primed with all that Mill has said on a certain subject, 
only to find that the first question by the ardent 
Trade-Unionist or convinced Socialist was framed in 
language so different, from points of view so varying, 
that to answer it my smoothly-turned principles had to 
be completely restated. Trying to teach a cosmopoli- 
tan group of "rough-handeds" is the best training in 
thoroughness of acquisition, accuracy of thought, 
conciseness in expression, readiness of tongue, 
picturesqueness in imagery, — in short, everything 
that goes to make up Yankee common sense. 

Finally, I want to take up one heading more, a 
comprehensive one. The work at The Prospect Union 
is of such a nature as to develop a man's sense of 
responsibility. It gives him deeper insight into life, 
and trains him in habits important to society. In 
the first place, the teacher cannot but gain in habits of 
thoroughness and faithfulness, for he must, if his 
class is to attain its best success, — there is still room 









Treasurers of the Union, 1892-98 
W. B. McDaniel, '93 Nathan Hayward, '95 

H. G. Gray, '97 F. W. Palfrey, '98 

P. M. Hubbard, '98 P. M. Tucker, '99 



THE UNION AND THE UNIVERSITY 23 

for improvement — be scrupulously careful in prepara- 
tion, unfailingly regular, always prompt. No longer 
one of a hundred at the University where his lack of 
preparation or absence from the lecture hall will hardly 
be noticed, he is a vital part of a big machine which 
will be put out of gear more or less seriously by his 
failure in any way. And secondly, there enters the 
element of self-sacrifice, for in the course of the year 
there will be many pleasures and many pressing de- 
mands which he must unhesitatingly put aside. The 
student is no longer living an independent existence ; 
he has become a member of a complex organism. 
Perhaps for the first time in his life he is placed in a 
position where others are dependent upon him. 
Doubtless, though he may not consciously realize it, 
much of the joy with which he goes to, and the exhil- 
aration with which he returns from, his class at the 
Union, is due to the fact that he is living out the truth 
expressed by the Master : " Whosoever will be chief 
among you, let him be your servant." 

Eight years ago the students of Harvard and the 
workiugmen were to a great extent living apart, and 
by ignorance kept indifferent to each other, perhaps 
even opposed. Whereas in isolation each was imper- 
fect, now, coming together in the Union building, 
they are being brought to a more perfect understanding 
of one another. Among other things, the student has 
brought the workingman knowledge, culture, ambition, 
sympathy, and friendship ; and the workingman bas 
given the student knowledge, patience, earnestness, 
and inspiration. May each year bring them closer 
together and increase their respective powers for 
mutual helpfulness. 



24 THE FROtiPECT UNION 

THE UNION AND W0RKING:\1EN 
By a Workingman 

TXTHAT has been the effect ou workingmen of mem- 
bership ill The Prospect Union ? Simply this : 
men have been tanght to respect themselves, and to find 
true worth in others. It has tanght men how to talk 
and when to talk, and how to conduct themselves when 
in discussion with others. AYorkingmen who take up 
courses of study are very apt to be ridiculed by their 
fellow-workers, but when the student proves that he 
is in earnest, a certain sense of respect for him grows 
up among his associates. Membership in The Pros- 
pect Union takes men out of the dreary monotony of 
their daily existence and gives them something to do 
and something to look forward to ; and at the end of 
a course of study, instead of looking back over a 
season of frivolity, a season of wasted time and 
money, they look back with satisfaction over a sea- 
son well spent, and feel a new strength growing out of 
an increased intelligence. 

Refinement of the mind, which comes with education, 
sometimes makes men dissatisfied with their lot and 
long for those things in life that are too often beyond 
their reach ; but it also teaches them how to adapt 
themselves to their situation, and to make the most 
of what they have. The education that men receive 
in The Prospect Union teaches that there are two 
sides to a question, and to listen patiently to the 
other side : thus prejudice and intolerance find no 
encouragement to remain here. 



HISTOBKJAL SKETCH 25 

In The Prospect Union men Lave learned grand 
lessons of patience by observing the methods of the 
teachers, and some have learned in this way that the 
reason others do not understand them is not so much 
because of their dullness, as because of their own 
inability to make themselves understood. 

The Prospect Union is not an ideal institution, but 
it is an institution with an ideal. It reaches onward 
and upward toward the Brotherhood of Man. If its 
members do not measure up to their motto, it is be- 
cause they are human beings with all the human frail- 
ties. Here all kinds and conditions of men meet on a 
common footing, and the membership is constantly 
shifting, but no one can attend the lectures or courses 
of study for any length of time without carrying with 
him wherever he may go a broader intelligence and a 
more liberal spirit. 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 

Tj^IGHT years ago there were in the city of Cambridge 
two large communities, one composed of wage- 
earners, the other of college students, living hardly 
more than two miles apart, but in every other respect 
than geographically, widely separated. To the wage- 
earner, the University seemed to be an essentially 
aristocratic institution, alien from and indifferent to 
the interests of the common people. On the other 
hand, to many a Harvard student, the life and strug- 




BiKTHPLACE OF ThE PROSPECT UNION — ThE PROSPECT HOUSE 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 27 

gles of workingmen were wholly unknown. Each 
community, because of ignorance of and isolation 
from the other, misjudged it. The aim of The Pros- 
pect Union was to bring these two elements in the 
population into natural, friendly contact, on the basis 
of a common humanity and with the motive of self- 
help and mutual help. The founders of the Union 
were Professor Francis G. Peabody of Harvard, a 
young clergyman, a small group of earnest young 
men who were students in and recent graduates from 
the University, and a few workingmen. Four of the 
students in particular gave themselves heartily to the 
project, and at the first election were made officers. 
These four students, three of them being then in the 
Junior class at Harvai'd and the fourth in the Gradu- 
ate School, the Union now delights to honor as the 
" Big Four " : Robert M. Lovett, '92, now a professor 
in Chicago University; Louis F. Berry, '92, a Con- 
gregational clergyman; Carlos C. Closson, '92, a 
resident of southern California, and George J. Peirce, 
'90, a professor in Leland Stanford University. The 
leaders of the movement were wise enough not to 
endeavor to formulate a fine scheme to which men 
and conditions were to conform. They rather deter- 
mined to do nothing for but everything with the 
workingmen ; and to let methods grow naturally out 
of a vital spirit of brotherhood and an administration 
genuinely democratic. 

The first meeting of the Union was held on Tuesday 
evening, Jan. 27, 1891, in room 5, on the second 
floor of the Prospect House. A formal organization 
was effected with forty-four members. After the 









Some of the Founders of the Union 
Prof. F. Q. Peabody Rev. Robert E. Ely 

T/ie " Big Four" 
R. M. Lovett, '92 L. F. Berry, '92 

Ct. J. Peirce, '90 C. C. Closson, '92 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 29 

adoption of a name, the next and even more impor- 
tant step was the adoption of a motto. "Liberty, 
Equality, Fraternity," was unanimously agreed upon. 
The choice of this motto was in part a measure of 
diplomacy, it may be freely admitted. Workingmen, 
it was believed — with reason as the result proved — 
would be attracted by this motto, especially the more 
radical men who were more or less hostile to the 
existing social order, and who are always apt to be 
suspicious of and unfriendly to philanthropic endeavor. 
But the motto was adopted honestly as well as diplo- 
matically. By Liberty was meant entire liberty of 
thought and speech ; by Equality, equal opportunities 
so far as the Union could provide them, and an em- 
phasis in the contact of the student-teachers with the 
workingmen-pupils upon what all men share rather 
than upon those differences which divide men into 
classes and cliques ; by P"'raternily, practical, every- 
day helpfulness in word and deed, and an all-pervad- 
ing atmosphere of brotherliness. The motto was and 
has continued to be of inestimable value as a rallying 
cry. The Union cares, however, not for the mere 
words, but for what they signify ; other words, there- 
fore, are often used to express these same ideas, and 
the Union voted to place over the entrance to its 
building and on its seal the inscription, "Freedom, 
Brotherhood, Unity." 

The active membership fee was fixed at three dol- 
lars a year, or twenty-five cents a month with an ini- 
tiation fee of twenty-five cents. A majority of the 
members found it more convenient to pay monthly. 
Over and over again the men were reminded that the 



30 THE PROSPECT UNION 

Union was not a charitable institution, as charity is 
commonly understood, but an educational institution. 
By paying his fee, the active member might feel that 
his privileges were also rights, shared equally by all 
the members. The fact that the income from active 
membership dues, although during most of its history 
the largest single source of income the Union has 
possessed, has not been sutHcient to meet current 
expenses, but has had to be supplemented by contri- 
butions from friends, has not impaired the indepen- 
dence of the organization or of its individual mem- 
bers. For these contributions are regarded as an 
educational institution regards its endowment ; and 
the Union considers itself as in no other respect a 
recipient of charity than is Harvard University itself. 
There were and are no additional fees for the classes, 
or for any other of the privileges offered by the 
Union. The cost of membership if paid by the year 
in advance, is now two dollars, instead of three, as 
at first. 

The vexing problem of drawing up a constitution 
and by-laws was easily solved. An elastic constitu- 
tion was adopted, which provided the organization 
with a few principles and rules, and was then laid 
aside. Since then the Union has had no constitution ; 
it has traditions and customs, but at any time may 
take any step which seems wise to its members, with- 
out encountering a parliamentary debate or a constitu- 
tional obstacle. At the first meeting an Executive 
Committee of seven was elected. The function of 
this Committee was and has remained advisory only, 
its acts requiring confirmation at a meeting of active 



HI8T0IUCAL SKETCH 81 

members. The composition of the first Executive 
Committee illustrates the democratic spirit which has 
always prevailed : three workingmen, two Harvard 
students, a Harvard professor and a clergyman were 
elected. It was discovered accidentally that at least 
five of the Committee were p's : a printer, a painter, 
a postman, a professor, a parson ; and for the sake 
of completeness, the two students were called appro- 
priately, one a poet, the other a philanthropist. The 
Executive Committee now numbers over twenty, but 
is as representative as ever. Its sessions have always 
been marked both by a frank and independent ex- 
pression of individual opinion, and a harmonious col- 
lective action ; a division of sentiment on class or 
party lines has never occurred. In the Committee, as 
in the Union, Catholics, Protestants, Jews; Social- 
ists, Anarchists, Trade-Unionists, advocates of the 
Single Tax, as well as supporters of the present 
social order ; the educated and the uneducated, the 
rich and the poor ; men of many nationalities, and 
both white and black, deliberate successfully and act 
fraternally. 

Immediately following the organization of the 
Union, a room was rented — the one in which the 
£rst meeting was held — in the Prospect House, and 
soon after, another room adjoining. These rooms 
were used when not required for the classes and lec- 
tures, one as a reading room, the other as a smoking 
room. Classes were begun as there was demand for 
them, in elementary English, English Composition and 
Rhetoric, French, German, History, Political Econ- 
omy, mathematics and one or two of the natural 



32 TEE PEOSPECT UNION 








if 






Fac-Simile of a Letter from Oliver Wendell Holmes 



HI8T0BICAL SKETCH . 33 

sciences. Mr. Lovett, as chairman of the educa- 
tional committee, obtained teacliers for these classes 
from among the students in the University. A 
weekly meeting was held on Tuesday evenings at 
which informal lectures were delivered by members of 
the Harvard faculty and other persons. Mr. Peirce, 
as chairman of the lecture committee, secured the 
speakers for these meetings. After the lecture there 
was always an opportunity for questions and for free 
discussion. Coffee and crackers were served follow- 
ing adjournment — at first without charge, afterwards 
at cost price. 

The Prospect Union was a success from the day of 
its birth. As time passed, the membership grew, 
additional rooms were rented in the Prospect House, 
the number of classes increased and the supply of 
teachers from Harvard kept pace with the demand for 
them. The Union became well established as its work 
and spirit were understood and appreciated. And so 
when removal from the Prospect House to larger ac- 
commoilations became necessary, friends subscribed 
nearly ten thousand dollars and made possible the 
purchase from the city of Cambridge of the old city 
hall property, consisting of an old, but roomy and 
well constructed building, and of two small parcels 
of unoccupied laud, at one side and in the rear. The 
Union took possession of its permanent home in Sep- 
tember, 1894, although another year passed before a 
satisfactory title to the property was obtained. In 
the autumn of 1895, about two thousand dollars was 
spent on the building on plumbing, painting and 
necessary repairs. The mortgage of sixteen thousand 



34 THE PROHPECT UNION 

dollars on the property was a heavy load to carry, but 
a piece of rare good fortune lightened it in the year 
181)7, when there was given to the Union through the 
trustees of the estate of Miss Belinda L. Eandall, the 
sum of twenty thousand dollars, lialf of which was to 
be used to reduce the mortgage, half to be invested 
and the income to be devoted to the purposes of the 
Union. The mortgage is now, therefore, six thousand 
dollars ; that it may be altogether paid off very soon 
is the earnest hope of the Union and its friends. 
Subscriptions are invited to this end. 



THE CLASSES 



rpHE principal features of the Union are its evening 
classes and lectures. At first workiugmen simply 
said what they wished to study, and classes were 
formed accordingly. Subsequently, on the basis of 
its experience, the Union began to announce in the 
autumn, as it does now every year, a list of courses 
of study to be given if pupils applied for them. The 
classes are small, averaging an enrolhnent of seven 
or eight ; sometimes even a class consists of two, 
teacher and pupil. The subjects taught cover a wide 
range, from the most elementary instruction in English 
branches to high school and~ college studies. Every 
year men who cannot read or write are provided with 
teachers who give them patient and tactful instruc- 
tion, with much more attention to the individual 



THE GLASSES 35 

pupil than is possible in the evening public schools. 
Foreigners who have no knowledge, or scarcely any, 
of English — Swedes, Danes, Germans, Armenians 
and the like — are welcomed, and initiated into the 
mysteries of the language. Having as yet but primi- 
tive laboratory facilities, only theoretical and elemen- 
tary instruction can be offered in most of the natural 
sciences. But in the languages and in literature ; in 
history and economics ; in mathematics, from the 
lowest to the highest ; and in studies which seem to 
have more practical value, such as mechanical and 
free-hand drawing, penmanship, bookkeeping and 
stenography, what may be accomplished is limited 
only by the time and ability of the pupil. The classes 
jn English are usually among the largest and most 
satisfactory, from reading, spelling, and grammar to 
rhetoric and the writing of themes, and elocution 
and debating. Arithmetic naturally attracts a large 
number of pupils. The work in Algebra and Geome- 
try is always encouraging, and there are small classes 
in Trigonometry, Calculus and Mechanics. Latin is 
a much more popular study at the beginning of the 
first term of the year, than at the end of the last 
term ; many also, who begin the study of French and 
German with too sanguine expectations, drop out 
after the first few weeks in the classes. However, 
there are several members who have in two, three or 
four years acquired a reading knowledge of a foreign 
language and some facility in writing and speaking it ; 
and some men continue to grapple with Latin and 
even Greek for successive years with fair results. 
History is not appreciated as it should be, although 




Members of the Executive Committee of 1SS8, Group A 
Carlton r'earsou C. A. Sievwright 

J. P. St. Coeur Edward Schwartz 

J. F. Harrington T. H. Hall 





-l^/^^a^m^^ 




Members op the Executive Committee of 189S, Geoup B 
J. A. Stinson Thomas Savage 

E. A. McMaster F. P. Sheehan 

W. H. Nagle W. T. Pierce 



38 THE PROSPECT UNION 

the effort to stimulate interest iu it has met witli some 
success. 

Tlie classes meet one or two evenings a week for 
one hour, sometimes two hours, for about twenty- 
eight weeks, from October to May, with vacations 
during the Christmas and Spring recesses at Harvard. 
In spite of the vicissitudes of a workingman's life, 
subject as he is to the contingencies of loss of work, 
work over-time, illness and change of residence ; and 
in spite of the difficulty of studying after a day of 
hard manual labor, the progress made in the classes 
is quite as good as ought to be expected under the 
circumstances, and in some cases is surprisingly 
good. 

The teachers, with one or two exceptions, are Har- 
vard students. They represent nearly all depart- 
ments of the University and the best elements in the 
student body. Among those who have taught classes 
have been men of the highest scholarship — members 
of the Phi Beta Kappa, commencement speakers, and 
winners of prizes and fellowships. Class poets and 
orators, members of the Hasty Pudding and other 
clubs, men prominent iu college journalism, in 
the musical clubs, in athletics ; officers and members of 
the religious societies; both wealthy and impecunious, 
both hard-working and easy-going students — all these 
have been teachers of classes and served as officers in 
the Union. 



THE CLASSES 39 



COURSES OF STUDY, 1898-99 

The following courses of study were offered for the year 1898- 
of these cotirees were actually given. 



I. ENGLISH 



la. Reading and Spelling. Tlmrsday 7.30. 

lb. Reading and Spelling. Tuesday 7.30. 

2a. Grammar. Tuesday 8.30. 

2b. Grammar. Friday 8.30. 

3. Advanced Reading and Elocution. Thursday 7.30-9.30. 

4. Debating. Tuesday 7.30-9.30. 

5. Rhetoric and Composition. Friday 8.30. 

6. Themes. 

7. Argumentation. Monday 7.30. 

8. Literature — Shakespeare. Monday 8.30. 

9. Literature — Prose Writers except novelists. 

10. Literature — Novelists. Monday 7.30. 

1 1 . Literature — Poets. 

II. FOREIGN LANGUAGES 

A. German 

1. Elementary. Monday 7.30. 

2. Intermediate. Friday 7.30. 

3. Advanced. Thursday 8.30. 

4. Conversation. 

5. Literature. 

B. French 

1. Elementary. Monday' 7.30. 

2. Intermediate. Thursday 7.30. 

3. Advanced. Friday 8. 30. 

4. Conversation. Friday 7.30. 

5. Literature. 



1. Elementary. 

2. Intermediate. 



C. Il'.VLI.VN 



£>. Spanish 



Elementary. Monday 7.30. 
Intermediate. 



40 THE PROSPECT UNION 



E. Latin 

1. Elementary. Monday 8.30. 

2. Intermediate. Monday 7.30. 

3. Advanced. Tlinrsday 7.30. 

F. Greek 

1. Elementary. Tuesday 8.30. 

2. Intei'mediate. Thursday 8.30. 

3. Advanced. 



III. HISTORY, ECONOMICS, PHILOSOPHY 
A. HiSTonv 

1. Geography. Tuesday 7.30. 

2. American History. Monday 7.30. 

3. Ancient History. Friday 7.30. 

4. Modern European History. Thursday 8.30. 

5. English History. Thursday 7.30. 
G. Outlines of General History. 

7. Constitutional Government. Monday 8.30. 

B. Economics 

1. Elements of Political Economy. Tuesday 8.30. 

2. Mill's Principles of Political Economy. 

3. Principles of Sociology. Friday 8.30. 
■1. Social Questions. 



C. Philosophy 

1. Logic. Friday 7.30. 

2. Ethics. Friday 8.30. 

3. Psychology. 
History of Philosophy. 



4 



IV. NATURAL SCIENCE 
A. Physics 

1. Mechanics, Sound, Light, Heat. Friday 7.30. 

2. Electricity. Friday 8^30. 

B. Chemistry 

1. Descriptive. Thursday 7.30. 

2. Experimental. 



THE CLASSES 41 



C. Geology 



1. Structure of the Earth. Tuesdaj^ 7.30. 

2. Miueralog.y. Tuesday 8.30. 

3. Meteorology. 

D. Botany 

1. Elementary. Monday 8.30. 

2. Advanced. Monday 7.30. 



1. Elementary 

2. Advanced. 



E. Zoology 



F. Physiology 



1. Elementary. Thursday 8.30. 

2. Advanced. 



V. MATHEMATICS 
A. Arithmetic 

la. Elementary. Friday 7.30. 
lb. Elementary. Tuesday 8.30. 
2a. Advanced. Thursday 7 30. 
2b. Advanced. Thursday 8.30. 

B. Algebra 

1. Elementary. Tuesday 7.30. 

2. Advanced." Thursday 7.30. 

C. Geometry and Trigonometry 

1. Plane Geometry. Thursday 8.30. 

2. Solid Geometiy. Friday 8.30. 

3. Plane Trigonometry. Friday 7.30. 

4. Spherical Trigonometry. 

0. Analytic Geometry. 

Z). Calculus and Mechanics. 

1. Calculus. 

2. Elements of Mechanics. 



42 THE PROSPECT UNION 

VI. MISCELLANEOUS 
A. Drawing and Fine Arts 

1. Elementary Mechanical Drawing. Monday 7.30-9.30. 

2. Advanced Mechanical Drawing. Monday 7.30-9.30. 

3. Elementary Free-hand Drawing. Tuesday 7.30-9.30. 

4. Advanced Free-hand Drawing.' Tuesday '7.30-9.30. 

5. Architectural Drawing. Thursday 8.30. 

6. Art and Travel. 

B. Penman.'^hip 
1. Elementary. Thursday 7.30. 

C. B00KKEEriN(4 

1. Elementary. Saturday 7.30-9.30. 

2. Advanced.' Friday 7.30-9.30. 

D. Shorthand, Telegraphy, Photography 

L Munson's Phonography. Elementary. Monday 7.80. 

2. Munson's Phonography. Advanced. (Dictation only.) 

Monday 8.30. 

3. Telegraphy. 

4. Photography. Monday 8.30. 

E. Music 

1. Banjo. Tuesday 7.30-9.30. 

2. Harmony. 

3. History of Music. 



THE LECTURES 

^HE weekly meeting, now held on Wednesday 
evenings, at first on Tuesday, is the other 
principal feature of the Union's work. The lect- 
ures at these meetings have covered a great variety 
of subjects, but topics connected with social reform 
have naturally somewhat predominated. Addresses 
advocating and in opposition to the various kinds 



THE LECTURES 43 

of Socialism, the Single Tax, Anarchism, Trade- 
Unionism, Woman's Suffrage, etc., have been de- 
livered. The Union stands steadfastly by its 
motto, giving to both sides of every question an 
entirely fair hearing, but as an organization never 
committing itself to any scheme of reform, however 
plausible. The discussions which follow the lecture 
at every meeting may be participated in by those 
present, whether members of the Union or not ; and 
while these discussions frequently become animated, 
they are never ill-natured. The Union, even at the 
expense of subjecting itself occasionally to adverse 
criticism, has been faithful to the pledge made at its 
organization, that its platform should be open to any 
man, speaking on any subject, provided only an imme- 
diate revolution by physical force be not advocated. 
On account of the extreme difficulty of discussing 
religious subjects with fairness and courtesy, and 
because of the diversity of the religious creeds pro- 
fessed by the members, these subjects are excluded 
altogether from public discussion. 

Lectures on literary, historical, philosophical and 
scientific themes have been received with favor, 
especially by those workingmen wdio are not deeply 
interested in social reform. Among the subjects of 
these lectures have been such as these : Scandinavian 
mythology, the Civilization of ancient Babylon, 
the Preservation of trees. Electricity and civiliza- 
tion, the Realistic novel, Australia and New Zea- 
land, Three months in Egypt, Sources of happiness, 
Imitation, Sampson's naval victory at Santiago, Les- 
sons from the Old South Meeting House, etc., etc. 



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THE LECTUREIS 45 

More than sixty professors, instructors and officers 
in Harvard University have addressed the Union, 
inchiding President Eliot, Professors Ashley, Baker, 
Bartlett, Blake, Byerly, Channing, Cummings, Davis, 
Emerton, Everett, Farlow, Goodale, Goodwin, Hanus, 
Hart, Hollis, Jackson, von Jagemann, James, Kitt- 
redge, Macvane, Marsh, Moore, Norton, Palmer, 
Parker, Peabody, Putnam, Koyce, Santayana, de 
Sumichrast, Taussig, J. H. Thayer, Toy, Trowbridge, 
Wambaugh, Wright ; Doctors Coolidge, Rand, Sar- 
gent, and Messrs. Chamberlin, Copeland, Hayes, 
Lane. Lectures have also been delivered by members 
of the faculties of the Mass. Institute of Technology, 
Boston University, Tufts College, Wellesley College 
and the Cambridge Episcopal Theological School. 

Among other speakers heard from time to time have 
been : Edward Atkinson, Eugene V. Debs, Prince 
Kropotkin, William Lloyd Garrison, John Graham 
Brooks, the late Lucy Stone, Julia Ward Howe, Alice 
Freeman Palmer, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, 
John Fiske, Dr. Edward Waldo Emerson, Nathan 
Haskell Dole, Hamlin Garland, James Jeffrey Roche, 
Walter Crane and J. M. Robertson of London, Rt. 
Rev. William Lawrence, Rt. Rev. ,Tohn H. Vincent, 
the late Rev. Dr. Andrew P.Peabody, Rev. Drs. 
Lyman Abbott, Washington Gladden, Alexander Mc- 
Kenzie, George Hodges, Charles F. Dole, Samuel M. 
Crothers, David N. Beach, Walter Calley, Charles C. 
Earle, Henry A. Cooke, Rabbi Solomon Schindler, 
Rabbi Charles Fleischer, Robert A. Woods, Edwin D. 
Mead, Hon. Josiah Quincy, Mayor of Boston, Hon. 
E. R. Champlin, Mayor of Cambridge, etc., etc. 



ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP 47 



ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP 

npHE active members of the Union number from 
four to six hundred workingmen. Boys under 
seventeen are not admitted. The average age of 
members is twenty-six years, and about half of 
the men are married. A large majority are mem- 
bers of other societies of various kinds, such as 
labor unions, benefit and fraternal orders and lodges, 
and athletic, social and political organizations. No 
definite inquiry is made concerning the religious faith 
or preference of members, but it is probable that 
most of them are at least nominally connected with 
some church. There are Catholics, Protestants and 
Jews. Twenty or more nationalities have been rep- 
resented. Americans from many states, Canadians, 
Irish, Scotch and English are in the majority, Scan- 
dinavians and Germans being the most numerous 
after these. The number of occupations represented 
has been more than one hundred, more or less skilled 
labor predominating. 

The Union is inconsistent in limiting its privi- 
leges to men, but this is done for practical reasons. 
Most of the teachers from Harvard prefer to have 
men only in their classes, and the workingmen them- 
selves feel more of a sense of freedom and less 
timidity in exposing their deficiencies in education 
in the presence of other men than if women also were 
present. It is possible that the future development 
of the Union may be such as to make the admission 



48 THE rnuHPECT UNION 

of women to active membership botli practicable and 
expedient. Partial privileges are accorded tliem at 
the monthly ladies' nights on Wednesday and the 
monthly musicals on Saturday evenings. 



GOVERNiNIEXT 



^HE Prospect Union is a thorough-going democracy 
in its ideals and methods. The final authority 
rests with the active members, who elect the officers 
of the Union and members of the Executive Com- 
mittee semi-annually, in May and November. The 
Committee meets regularly once a month and at other 
times when necessary. Its resolutions have only the 
force of recommendations to the membership. Mr. 
Ely, who has been its president since the Union was 
organized, and Mr. Sievwright, the financial secretary, 
are the only salaried officers. The total yearly com- 
pensation of these two officers and of the janitor, who 
is an active member, is less than fourteen hundred 
dollars. 

As has been stated previously, the Union has no 
constitution, and there are not even any house 
rules. There is never any trouble about discipline, 
for that takes care of itself. Members who are three 
months in arrears for their dues are dropped after 
proper notification. There is no election of candidates 
for membership, and no investigation into their char- 
acter. Any man who wishes to join presents himself 
at the office, paj's his fee, and receives his memljership 
ticket without delay. 



THE CORPORATION 49 



THE CORPORATION 

TTTHEN the old city hall property was purchased, 
it was necessary that the Union should have 
an incorporated body to hold the property. There- 
fore a self-perpetuating corporation of twenty-five 
persons, called the Prospect Union Association, was 
formed by a special act of the Massachusetts Legislat- 
ure in 1896, through the instrumentality of James J. 
Myers, Esq., a Cambridge representative in the House 
and a friend of the Union. 

The Association meets regularly but once a year. 
Its principal function is to hold in trust for the 
Union all its real estate and invested funds. The 
Association has no control over the work of the Union. 
The present financial relation between the two bodies is 
as follows : the treasurer of the Association collects the 
rentals from the tenants in the building and draws the 
interest from the $10,000 of invested funds. Out of 
this income he pays the interest on the mortgage, the 
taxes, insurance and the cost of repairs. Contribu- 
tions toward paying off the mortgage and providing 
an endowment should be sent to the treasurer of the 
Association. The treasurer of the Union receives 
all membership fees, active, associate and sustaining, 
and all contributions for current expenses. He pays 
the salaries of the president, financial secretary and 
janitor, the expense of heating and lighting the build- 
ing, printing, stationery, etc. 



50 THE PROSPECT UN ION 



RELATION TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS 

nPHE^ Union does not enter into rivalry with other 
institutions. Tlie Young Men's Christian Asso- 
ciation draws more from tlie clerk class than the 
Union does, and is composed of young men who 
can afford to pay larger fees than the Union 
charges and who dress better than workingmen do. 
Moreover, the religious character of the Association 
unfortunately prejudices a certain class of men 
against it. The Association is doing a valuable work 
in its own field. The Union does not duplicate the 
gymnasium facilities of the Association and of the 
Father Scully Gymnasium in Cambridgeport. 

The evening public schools offer instruction in cer- 
tain studies more evenings a week than the Union 
does, but fewer weeks in the year. The number of 
courses of study is greater at the Union. In the 
ordinary evening school, there are perhaps fifty pupils 
to one teacher ; in the Union there are six or seven 
pupils to a teacher. Nevertheless it is sometimes 
better for a man to attend one of the schools than 
classes at the Union, and the officials of the Union 
advise the man to this effect. Older men are more 
inclined to come to the Union, where they do not 
expose their ignorance before a class of young fellows. 
Thus the classes at the Union supplement the neces- 
sary and important work of the evening schools. 

The Cambridge Social Union is a sister institution 
to The Prospect-Union, and through the instrumentality 



THE BUILDING AND LAND 61 

of the latter, classes on the same basis were organized 
at the former Union and are successful!}^ carried on 
there. The classes of the Social Union are open to 
women as well as to men, and are more largely 
attended by women than by men. 

It is believed that nowhere within the limits of 
greater Boston can evening classes be found in cer- 
tain studies which are offered at the Union, such as 
some of the sciences and higher mathematics, and 
the opportunities for studying English are probably 
more ample at the Union than elsewhere. 



THE BUILDING AND LAND 

n^HE old city hall was erected on the corner of 
Main Street (now Massachusetts Avenue) and 
Pleasant Street about fifty years ago, and was at 
first known as the Cambridge Athenaeum and used 
for public lectures and the like. It was purchased 
by the city in the year 1858 and was used as the 
city hall until the new city hall was occupied in the 
year 1890. In this building the first company en- 
listed which went to the Civil War. 

The building has a frontage on Massachusetts 
Avenue of sixty-six feet and is eighty-one feet deep. 
The Union rents a part of the basement and the 
front rooms on the street floor for business purposes. 
In the basement are shower baths and lavatory. On 



THE BUILDING AND LAND 53 

the ground floor are the office, in which is the Cam- 
bridgeport Delivery Station of the Cambridge Public 
Library, the social room and one class room. The 
reading room, library, lecture hall and class rooms 
till the second floor. There is a third story in the 
rear of the building only. On this floor reside the 
president and the financial secretary, and there is one 
class room. Were funds available for improving the 
building, the space on the second floor could be 
utilized to much better advantage by a change of 
partition walls. The interior of the building needs 
painting and papering. 

To the east on Massachusetts Avenue, there is a 
piece of unimproved land twenty-seven and a half 
feet wide and ninety feet deep ; and in the rear of the 
building, on Pleasant Street, is another piece of unim- 
proved land, thirty-four feet wide and ninety-one 
feet deep. The income of the Union could be con- 
siderably increased by improving these pieces of land 
if the money were at hand to invest thus. 

The price paid to the city of Cambridge for 11,449 
feet of land and the building was $22,898. The 
original mortgage of $16,000 has been reduced to 
$6000. The Building Committee by whom the pur- 
chase of this property was consummated consisted of 
Francis G-. Peabody, George G. Wright, Theodore 
H. Raymond, P>dmund Reardon, John H. Corcoran, 
James J. Myers and Robert E. Ely. 



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ATTITUDE OF UNION TOWARD BELIQION 55 



THE ATTITUDE OF THE UNION 
TOWARD RELIGION 

~VrOT for an instant does the Union propose itself as 
a substitute for the Church. The attitude of this 
work toward religion is precisely the attitude of the 
public schools toward religion, that is, the Union is not, 
of course, irreligious, but only unreligious. Inasmuch 
as the active membership contains the widest diver- 
sity of opinion and conviction regarding religious 
matters — Catholics, many of the Protestant denomi- 
nations, Jews, agnostics, secularists, etc. all being 
represented — it is manifestly inexpedient to hold 
any kind of religious service or to discuss religious 
topics. The effort is made to regard the faith of 
every man as sacred to him, whether mistaken or not 
from the point of view of another man. So far as 
known, religious differences have never caused un- 
pleasant feeling between members of the Union, at 
least at its meetings and in its classes. 



CONCLUSIONS BASED ON EIGHT YEARS' 
EXPERIENCE 

/^NLY a minority of the men engaged in manual 
labor during the day are eager to improve their 
minds by evening study. On the other hand, the work- 
ing men who care nothing and who seemingly cannot be 
induced to care for education, are also in the minority. 



56 THE FBOHFECT J'NION 

The majority of wage-earners are like other people : 
some care more for self-improvement, some less, 
some apparently not at all but are capable of having 
their interest in it aroused. If the educational op- 
portunities offered are as carefully as possible adapted 
to the particular needs and wishes of working people 
and to the circumstances in which they are placed, 
there can be no question but that a sufficiently large 
number will avail themselves of these opportunities 
to justify amply the trouble and expense of providing 
them. 

But what is the actual educational value to a work- 
ingman of studying for an hour or two on one, two 
or three evenings a week for half the year? Surely 
it is not possible to acquire scholarly attainments in 
this way? Of course not. The Prospect Union 
believes in sound scholarship, and in genuine intel- 
lectual work. The Union does not assume univer- 
sity airs. Degrees, diplomas, formal examinations, 
required courses of study and most of the mere 
academic machinery of an institution of learning 
are absent. Certificates are given to pupils who wish 
them, which state the facts in the individual case 
regarding the studies pursued and for what length of 
time. But in general, the Union simply endeavors to 
help the individual man to learn what he wishes to 
know, and to guide him as to what he ought to 
know. The standard varies for men as their native 
ability, tastes, temperament and circumstances in 
life vary. 

Why should a wage-earner be taught French or 
Latin, rather than something which will be of direct 



CONCLUSIONS BASED ON EXPERIENCE 57 

practical value to him in earning bis daily bread? It 
is indeed often better that a man should study what 
will be of immediate use to him — the English branches 
which constitute a common-school education, mathe- 
matics, the natural sciences, drawing and the like. 
But sometimes it is better that a man should enter 
a class in a subject remote from practical use, for 
the mental discipline and broadening effect to be thus 
secured. Machine methods in manufacturing, and 
the infinite division and sub-division of labor, tend to 
make of manual workers machine men. That ten- 
dency should be counteracted. Experience has proved 
that in some cases the studies apparently of least 
practical value are quite as desirable as any others ; 
and that often the choice of a particular study is not 
nearly so important a matter as it seems. Not what 
is studied, but to learn how to study is most important. 
But are not wage-earners unfitted for their work 
and made discontented with their lot by being educated 
in some degree? It rarely happens that a Prospect 
Union pupil imagines for any length of time that he 
ought to be a lawyer or a doctor instead of a carpen- 
ter or a blacksmith. When this does happen, the 
Union tries to be a good adviser and to discourage 
unwise ambitions. Occasionally men who know what 
they are about are aided at the Union in fitting them- 
selves for college, but not often. There is a kind of 
discontent, however, to the propagation of which in the 
minds of wage-earners the Union pleads guilty — a sen- 
sible dissatisfaction with things with which it is stupid 
or immoral to be satisfied when there is a possibility 
of betterment ; the discontent of the healthy, growing 



58 THE PROSPECT UNION 

human being; the discontent of a true manhood. 
The contentment of the poor earth-clod, the drudge, 
the incompetent hireling, the Union does what it can 
to remove. 

It is strictly within the truth that workingmen who 
attend classes and lectures at the Union tend to become 
better workmen, better husbands and fathers, better 
citizens, happier and more hopeful human beings in 
the position in life in which they are placed. The 
narrowness of intense radicalism and of intense 
conservatism, the prejudices of ignorance and isolation 
tend to disappear, in contact with books, and still 
more in contact with men of different ways of thinking, 
different occupations, different social standing, differ- 
ent experience of life. 



LOOKING FORWAKD 

TN the preceding pages but little has been said con- 
cerning difficulties and failures in the work of The 
Prospect Union, yet these have not been few. In the 
scheme itself there are inherent difficulties which are 
not easily surmountable. The active members are 
from a shifting population ; from forty to fifty per 
cent, of the membership is lost every year from this 
cause, and is replaced by new members. The teachers 
also, being largely from the Junior and Senior classes 
in the University, change in almost as great propor- 
tion from year to year. It is hoped that in the future 
through correspondence and possibly through a 



LOOKING FORWARD 59 

periodical bulletin, the interest in the Union both of 
the pupils and teachers who go from it may be 
maintained, for their good and its own. 

A corps of volunteer teachers as large as that of the 
Union always presents in some degree the problem of 
irregular attendance and ineffectiveness in teaching. 
While Prospect Union teachers have on the whole been 
highly faithful and efficient, during the year 1899-1900 
there is to be a more careful and constant supervision 
of the classes than ever before. In addition to the 
executive force heretofore engaged in the service of 
the Union, a college man has consented to accept the 
new position of Supervisor of Classes, who has been 
for two years a teacher at the Union and is familiar 
with its methods and principles. 

It has always been difficult to obtain from the Uni- 
versity competent teachers in bookkeeping, penman- 
ship and stenography. During the next year of 
study it is proposed, if thoroughly good teachers can- 
not be obtained on the volunteer basis from the Uni- 
versity or outside, that professional teachers be 
engaged for these branches. 

The financial problem has drawn upon the vitality 
of the Union for the past three years, somewhat to 
the detriment of its usefulness. If $2,000 more can 
be raised through anpual subscriptions, the Union 
will be in a position to enter upon a career of larger 
influence for good than ever before, in the full tide of 
energy and enthusiasm. 



60 



THE I'UOHPECT rNION 



TEACHERS IN THE PROSPECT UNION 

January, 1891, to May, 1899 

The following is a list of students in Harvard I'niversity who have 
taught classes at the Union for six weeks or longer, or held oflice, not 
including members of the classes of 1900, 1901 and 1902. The arrangement 
is by year of graduation from Harvard. Members of the I'niversity who 
did not graduate from Harvard College are placed with the college class 
with which they seem to have been connected. 

The large number of teachers from the classe-s of 1895 and 1896 was 
due to a temporary increase in the active membership of the Union caused 
by its removal to the old City Hall building. 

An italic letter following a name indicates to what department of the 
University the student belonged :— C, College; />ii., Divinity School; G., 
Graduate School; L., Law School; 31., Medical School; <S'., Scientific 
School. The numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, preceding these letters, indicate first, sec- 
ond, third and fourth years in the Schools, s means special student. An 
asterisk (*) means deceased. 



1884 

Hollis Webster 

1889 

F. E. Haynes 

1890 

E. T. Brewster 
Leighton Calkins 
A. M. P. Chase 
Norman Hapgood 
J. B. Scott 
Arthur Sweeny 

G. J. Peirce, 4.5. 

1891 

F. R. Clow 
John Cnraraings 
Angelo Hall 

H. B. Hastings 
W. G. Howard 
Kenneth MoKenzie 
R. L. O'Brien 



F. N. Robinson 
L. H. Roots 

A. V. Woodworth 

R. E. Ely, gr. Dr. 

1892 

Joseph Allen 
A. R. Benner 
L. F. Berry 
* "W. D. Boardman 
W. T. Brewster 
C. C. Closson 

G. P. Costigan 
W. W. Cressy 
David Gray 

H. G. Hochstadter 
P. L. Home 
F. L. Kennedy 
L. F. Kiesewetter 
R. M. Lovett 
H. R. Meyer 
Richard Norton 



TEAOHEBS IN THE PBOSPECT UNION 61 



G. T. Page 
G. O. Virtue 

A. B. Webber 

B. A. Whittemore 
F. L. "Whittemore 

F. B. Jewett, ^M. 

1893 

E. H. Abbott 

E. M. Bennett 

G. S. Callander 
J. W. Carr 

W. A. Clark 

S. L. Fridenberg 

F. P. Gulliver 
Albert Hale 

* O. B. Henshaw 
Tracy Hoppin 
I. W. Howerth 

C. E. Hutchison 
W. B. McDaniel 
W. V. Moody 
C. R. Nutter 

H. G. Pearson 

E. P. Pressey 

F. M. Spalding 
Henry "Ware 
J. R. "Webster 
J. A. "Wilder 

G. P. "Winship 

A. S. Cooley, 16^. 
L. C. Cornish, sG. 
H. D. Foster, 10. 
J. P. Hylan, sG. 
C. W. Mixter, IG. 
John Ridout, sG. 

1894 
L. A. E. Ahlers 
W. C. Bailey 
J. H. Bennett 
A. M. Brooks 
A. C. L. Brown 



Hugh Cabot 
William Cobb 
C. H. Crane 
H. B. Eddy 
A. B. Fay 
Emil Goldmark 

E. B. Hill 
R. P. Hood 
Harris Kennedy 
W. F. Lee 

R. B. McDaniel 
G. B. Magrath 
A. C. Nash 
G. R. Noyes 

F. L. Olmsted, Jr. 
C. W. Shope 

C. R. Stetson 
H. C. Wellman 

F. B. White 

S. M. Williams 

G. C. Curtis, sS. 

J. W. Hutchinson, sG. 
H. N. Loomis, sS. 
F. H. Safford, \G. 

1895 

M. A. Aldrich 

T. F. Allen, Jr. 

E. K. Arnold 

N. S. Bacon 

W. K. Brice 

Fritz von Briesen 

W. M. Briggs 

W. D. Brookings 

H. A. Bull 

H. H. Chamberlin, Jr. 

A. W. Cooley 

J. L. Coolidge 

R. W. Coues 

P. H. Cressey 

* F. H. Cummings 

E. S. Dodge 

William Emerson 



62 



THE PROSPECT UNION 



C. M. Flandrau 

Rolfe Floyd 
Roger Gilman 

E. H. Goodwin 

D. C. Greene, Jr. 
R. C. Grew 

F. W. Grinnell 
Nathan Hayward 
J. C. D. Hitch 
Alfred Johnson 
L. P. Lane 

J. H. Lewis 
P. H. Lombard 

F. E. Lowell 
S. B. McNear 

E. G. Merrill 

D. D. Miller 

G. G. Murchie 
C. E. Noyes 
W. S. Patten 
W. R. Peabody 
A. J. Peters, Jr. 
A. S. Pier 

C. S. Pierce 
J. F. Porter 
Oscar Quick 
R. C. Ringwalt 
A. J. Russell 
P. P. Sharpies 
J. L. Stackpole, Jr. 
H. R. Talbot 
Wilder Tileston 
Robert Walcott 

E. H. Warren 
N. H. White 

Alexander Whiteside, Jr. 
J. K. Whittemore 

H. H. Brown, \G. 
E. S. Page, \L. 
J. F. Vaughn, 4,5. 
H. P. Walker, 26'. 
C. J. Wilcoml), \Di\ 



1896 

T. J. Abbott 
R. C. Archibald 

F. N. Balch 

E. F. W. Bartol 
Stoughton Bell 
W. E. Blodgett 
C. E. Bryan 
A. H. Bullock 

G. H. Chase 
E. H. Clark 

J. P. Cotton, Jr. 
G. W. Creelman 
P. R. Dean 
Harrison Dibblee 
H. G. Dorman 
C. H. Dunn 
Moses Ely 
Haven Emerson 
J. C. Fairchild 
S. B. Fay 

E. V. Frothingham 
J. D. Greene 

S. E. Greene 
H. S. Grew, 2d. 
P. R. Hazard 
Stevens Heckscher 
A. H. Hildreth 
J. S. Holbrook 

F. S. Hoppin, Jr. 
Arthur Ingraham 
F. M. Jones 

A. M. Kales 
I. W. Kingsbury 
H. F. Knight 
S. V. Mann, Jr. 
Francis Mason 
R. B. Merriman 
Vernon Munroe 

G. L. Paine 
J. G. Palfrey 
W. A. Parker 



TEACHEBS IN THE PROSPECT UNION 63 



J. W. Phelps 
F. H. Pratt 

F. H. Rathbim 
H. A. Ross 

G. C. Scott 
P. O. Skinner 
Conrad Smith 

F. H. Smith, Jr. 

G. H. Spalding 
J. M. Sturgis 
A. C. Train 

R. G. Valentine 
R. G. Wadsworth 
F. B. Whittemore 
C. R. Wilson 

W. B. Buck, IG. 
J. A. Gade, 45. 
L. T. Hildreth, \L. 
P. A. Hutchison, sC. 
E. N. Jones, IL. 
C. W. Norton, \G. 
J. F. Rogers, sS. 

1897 

H. M. Adler 
R. P. Angler 
R. L. Barstow 
Horace Binney 
C. N. Bliss, Jr. 
J. M. Boutwell 
Ingersoll Bowditch 
David Cheever 
A. P. Chittenden 
L. M. Closson 
W. D. Cotton, Jr. 
H. W. Cram 
R. B. Cutting 
R. B. Dixon 
C. D. Drew 
Henry Endicott, Jr. 
H. W. Foote 
J. S. Francis 



T. B. Gannett, Jr. 
Bertram Gardner 
H. G. Gray 
J. E. Gregg 
G. F. Hagerman 
N. P. Hallowell 
J. P. Hayden 
Frank Hendrick 

* Stanley Hollister 
R. D. Jenks 
Sinclair Kennedy 

F. H. Kinnicutt 

G. W. Knoblauch 

F. T. Lewis 
Robert Logan 

B. S. Oppenheimer 
H. A. Phillips 

J. D. Phillips 
R. L. Robbins 

* H. S. Roberts 

C. P. M. Rumford 
H. E. Safford 
Herbert Schurz 
Arnold Scott 

H. R. Scott 
A. W. Stevens 
W. B. Truesdell 
P. K. Walcott 
C. A. Weatherby 

G. B. Weston 

C. M. Deardruff, \G. 
W. H. Kelsey, ^S. 

1898 
W. W. Baker 
R. L. Barrett 
H. I. Bowditch 
Horace Bowker 
H. R. Bygrave 
C. E. Case 
F. T. Case 
W. E. Connolly 
J. R. Crocker 



64 



THE PROSPECT UNION 



E. D. Curtis 

P. A. H. van Daell. 
Arthur DuBois 
R. S. Dunn 
R. T. Fisher 
Charles Grilk 
H. T. Hooper 
P. M. Hubbard 
Charles Jackson 
C. N. King 
W. G. S. Mclntyre 
G. W. Naumburg 
J. A. L. Odde, Jr. 

F. W. Palfrey 
L. H. Parkhurst 
E. F. Phillips 
W. H. Porter 
Samuel Robinson 
E. L. Sanborn, Jr. 
C. C. Stillman 

R. B. Stone 

E. C. Stowell 
J. B. Swann 

F. L. Waldo 
R. S. Warner 
S. P. Beebe, sS. 
E. A. Bumpus, sS. 
C. n. Ely.l.S". 

E. R. Hedrick, l^^. 
R. H. Loines, 3Z. 
H. W. Williams, 2S. 

1899 

F. M. Alger 
R. P. Bellows 
J. F. Brice 



C. L. Carr 

E. P. Costigan 
H. B. Dean 

J. D. Dole 
G. A. Fried 
C. E. Gilbert 
R. L. Hoguet 
R. A. Jackson 
Henry James, 2d. 
H. C. Jenness 
Julius Lucht 
L. E. Marple 
A. J. Marshall 
M. P. Mason 
S. W. Merrell 
C. E. Preston 
R. E. Ramsay 
W. L. Raymond 
H. M. Rideout 
T. H. Robbins 
W. B. Robbins 
W. C. Roper 
J. B. Rorer 
G. M. Sargent 

F. C. Sutro 
P. M. Tucker 

E. E. Wakefield, Jr. 
E. M. Waterhouse 
Evans Webster 
S. C. Wiel 
Roger Wolcott, Jr. 

J. E. Johnson, IG. 
R. H. Johnson, 3<S'. 
J. R. Olin, 1^;. 



SUMMARY OF TEACHERS AND LECTURERS 

Teachers from Harvard University .... 392 

Other Teachers 13 

Lecturers from Harvard University : — 

Professors 41 

Instructors and Officers 25 



REPORT OF THE TREASURER OF THE 
PROSPECT UNION ASSOCIATION 

For the Year Ending April 30, 189!) 
Income 
Balance from last year's account (including 

$285 00 on account of mortgage indebtedness) 
Income from Randall fund 
Rents ...... 

Annual Subscriptions * 

Gifts t 

Temporary loan .... 



Interest on the mortgage 

Taxes .... 

Insurance 

Carpenter work . 

Painting 

Plumbing and gas fltting 

Rooting 

Sundry expenses 

Temporary loans 



Income 
Expenses 



Expenses 



Deduct : 

Deposit on account of mortgage 
Interest on mortgage, 4 months 
Taxes, 7 months, estimated 
Premium on U. S. Bonds 
Accrued interest on U. S. Bonds 
purchased .... 



$285.00 
80.00 
93.40 
32.50 

20.00 



Income, not including 

vious year 
Expenses 



balance from the pre- 



GEORGE G. WRIGHT, 



$511.44 
317.00 
728.00 
342.00 
141.50 
390.00 
.$2429.94 



$240.00 

160.12 

150.00 

114.08 

63.19 

47.79 

31 65 

74.80 

900.00 

$1781.63 

$2429.94 
1781.63 
$648.31 



^510.90 



$ 137.41 

$1918.50 
1781.63 
$136.87 



Treasurer of the Prospect Union Association. 

* To be collected during the year ending April 30, 1900, by the Treas- 
urer of the Union. 

t During the year ending April .SO, 1900, gifts for current e.xpennes will 
be received by the Treasurer of the Union ; gifts toward paying off the 
mortgage of $6000.00 on land and building and for the permanent fund will 
be received by the Treasurer of the Association. 



REPORT OF THP: TREASURER OF 
THE PROSPECT UNION 

For the Year ending April 30, 18t)9 
Income 



Balance from last year's account 


$213.78 


Active membership fees .... 


oDl.20 


Fees from baths 


22.80 


Fees from telephone 


5.00 


llents ........ 


14(5.00 


Lectures and entertainments 


057.50 


Text books loaned and sold 


65.20 


Gifts 


648.00 


Various sources 


44.52 




$2394.00 


Expenses 




Salaries, including janitor .... 


$1427.61 


Heat and Light 


329.42 


Water tax 


20.50 


Telephone 


36.75 


Printing 


95.75 


Stationery and postage .... 


57.35 


Periodicals for reading room 


46.76 


Sundries 


341.69 




$2355.83 


Income 


$2394.00 


Expenses . . 


2355.83 




$38.17 


Unpaid bills due 


$900.00 



PHILIP M. TUCKER, 

Treasurer of The Prosjject Union, 



OTHER EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS 

^HE Prospect Union has not now and never has had 
any organic connection with any other organiza- 
tion or institution. The Union had a greater or less 
influence, however, in the establishment of the fol- 
lowing educational efforts, while in no sense responsi- 
ble for them. 

Educational Department, Cambridge Social Union, 4:2 

Brattle St., Cambridge. Established 1894. 

Evening classes, open to men and women, in grammar 
school, high school and college studies. Membership in 
the Social Union costs $1.00 annually; in the Educational 
Department, $1.00 annually in addition. 

The Co-operative Press, Printers, 114 Austin St., Cam- 

bridgeport. Established 1894. 

A. trade-union and co-operative printing office, doing a 
general book and job printing business. 

Cambridge Co-operative Society, Groceries, etc., 41 Pleas- 
ant St., Cambridgeport. Established 1895. 

On the "Rochdale Plan" of co-operation. Goods sold for 
cash only, at the prevailing retail prices. Six per cent 
interest paid on the share capital. Dividends declared on 
purchases to customers, those who are non-members receiv- 
ing half the dividend paid to members. Membership open 
to anyone buying one or more shares of stock at $1.00 per 
share, with 25 cents entrance fee. 

The Co-operative Union of America, 744 Massachusetts 

Ave., Cambridgeport, Mass. Established 1895. 

An educational organization whose object is to promote 
co-operation on the Rochdale Plan in America. Member- 
ship open to individuals who pay 50 cents annually, and 
to any co-operative society in the United States or Canada, 
paying a fee of one cent for each of its members annually. 
An annual meeting is held usually in Cambridge, to which 
co-operative societies send delegates. 



68 THE PROSPECT UNION 

The American Co-operative News, 114: Austin Street, 
Cambritlgeport, Mase. Established 1896. 

Organ of the Co-operative Union, and devoted mainly to 
co-operation on the Rochdale Plan. Pnhlished (quarterly 
(formerly monthly). Suhscription price, 25 cents per year; 
with membership in the Co-operative l^nion, 50 cents per 
year. 

Workiugmen's College, MacFarlin Court, Lawrence, Mass. 

Established 1897. 

Organized by Mr. R. Henry Barlow of Lawrence. Even- 
ing lectures and classes for men and women. 



ADVERTISEMENTS 

These are reliable firms. 
Patronize them. 



C. TV^II-L-ER 

riDiUinec 



« « « * 



828 Massachusetts Avenue CAMBRIDGE 

New Y. M. C. A. Building 

CAMBRID6EP0Rr SAVINGS BANK 

689 Massachusetts Avenue 

Incorporated 1853 

Open every business day from 8.30 to 1.30 p.m. Also the first 
Saturday evening of each month from 5 to 8, for the receipt of deposits 
only. 

Interest computed from the third Wednesdays in Januarj-, April, 
July, and October, and payable in January and July. 

OLD CURIOSITY SHOP 

J. LEMON, Proprietor 
Dealer in all kinds of 

Antique Furniture, Historical China, Old Books, &c 

Cash Paid for Old Books, Antique Funiiture, etc. 
526 Massachusetts Avenue . ♦ . Cambridgfeport 

AH Orders by Mail attended to Promptly 

David Thomson 
Practical • Upholsterer 

STEAM CARPET CLEANING 
IVEattress, Stiade & Carpet Work: 



30 PROSPECT STREET, CAMBRIDGEPORT 



FRANK E. NEWGENT 

CambribGC tTailodng 

an^ IRepairing Company 

We agree to Press, Clean, and Repair one coat, pants 
and vest each week (3 pieces) for one dollar per month, payable 
in advance. We sew rips in outsides or linings, coat hangers, 
holes in pockets, buckles and buttons on pants, leather on bottom 
when desired. 

All other repairs not included in above schedule will be 
charged extra at reasonable prices. 

Goods called for and delivered. 

N. B. Send postal and will call at residence or place of business 

Special attention paid to pressing and cleansing Ladies^ Gannents 

567 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridgeport, Mass. 



dfrom a dfrien^ 




a^ fCjA 




FINE FRENCH HILLINERY 

715 TO 719 MASSACHUSETTS AVE., CAMBRIDGE 

eambriddepcrt national BanK 

Hsa P. morse, President lUHl T. Roaf, treasurer 

Cambridgcport 
ORTWeS' ORCHESTRM 

C. D. ORMES, Manager 

Any number Musicians furnished for all occasions as Orchestra or Brass Band 

Office, 23 Prospect St., Central Sq. r amhridvBnnrf 
Residence, 147 Western Ave. CaiTIDriagepori 



JTrom a Jrtenb 



HAZLETT^S CAMBRIDGE EXPRESS 

BAGGAGE TO EARLY TRAINS 

CAMBRIDGE : Residence, 8 Camden Place 

Box, 9 Harvard Square, & corner 

Brattle and Craigie Sts. 

BOSTON : Stall 7, Cellar 3, Faneuil Hall Market 

Box, 52 Quincy Market 

Offices, 71 Kingston St. & 20 Broad St. 

Leaves Market at 12 M. and 5 P.M. Telephone : Boston 520 and 2936 



t CDe CO'Operativc Press t 

t Book, Pantpbiet ^nd :iob Printers £ 
$ 114 Hw$tln Street, Cambridge Z 

BUY YOUR 

I!klei:x»«, ;Boys', Iv^die^^' ^irxd ^LVTxs^jse^' 

CLOTHING ON CREDIT 

at cash prices 
And two months^ credit on each purchase 

Washburn Credit House, 465 Washington St., Boston 

Opp. Jordan, riarsh & Co. 

THOMAS A. DEWIRE 
irtiHOL-ESKL-E GROCER 

And Jobber of 

244-248 Beacon Street : : : Somerville 

TELEPHONE CAMBRIDGE 



DAVID FARQUHAR'S 

Book Bindkry 

Look for the Big Book 
Cloth "Work Library Work 

Leather "Work School Work 
Pamphlet Work Repair "Work 

« niiitiiey Ct., off Essex St. 

' CAMBRIlXiEPOKT, :»IASS. 

Telephone, 545-4 

CELLAR BUILDING 

And all Kinds of Plain and 
Ornamental Stonework 

GRADING AND ROAD MAKING 

High class work a specialty 
Semi postal for estimates 

PATRICK Fl,Y3fIV, 
f}. Lexington, 3[ass. 



A SCHOOL FOR YOUR 
DAUGHTER 

A school'where the course is suited to the 
pupil, and not the pupil to the course. A 
school where trained minds are working with 
one end in view — the making of the higliest 
type of gentlewoman. Not a "keep-still" 
school, but an ideal, broad school life — living 
an education. These are the basic principles 
of 

THE 

CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL 
FOR GIRLS. 

They are founded on the Director's experi- 
ence of many years in the education ol women 
— and proved practicable by results. 

Every detail in the school life of the 
pupil receives the special attention of the 
Director. The home life receives equal atten- 
tion with school instruction, and is modeled on 
a unique plan to secure the greatest individual 
development. The School Manual will inter- 
est you. Mr. Arthur Gilman, Director, 
will forward a copy on request. His ofTice 
is at 

No. 36 Concord Ave., 

Cambridge, Mass. 



BACH BROTHERS 

935 Broadway, New York 

Harvard College Photographers for Years 

'78 '79 '82 '83 '84 '86 "87 "88 '89 '90 "91 '92 '93 '94 '95 "96 '97 '98 '99 



Full assortment of Grou]5s and Views connected with Harvard. Special 
rates to Students. Croups, \'iews and College Shingles. We frame at the 
very lowest figure. 

Mr. H. Wm. TUPPER, Manager & Photographer, 

1181 Massachusetts Ave., Next to Beck Hall, Cambridge 

T^HE fsjATlONAb QlTY ^hH\<, 



OF CAMBRIDGE 



Corner Massachusetts Avenue and Inman Street 



THREE IMPORTANT BOOKS 
The City Wilderness 

A Settlement Study 

I (iiifd !))■ Kdr.i 
"A honk of I 



1 1 1 1 1- 1 1; » I III i 1 1 1: 1 1 1 < > M 1 1: II I -> 111 "Mil ^1 

The Liquor Problem 

In its Legislative Aspect 

I Ml' ""K iii'j the results of investigation- 



1 -'I iiiitlcc ol I 

I M mi With 111 ' 

\ work of J.' 
i.;;ition of II 
m MailK;, lo\v;», Sinn 
vivania, and Mi.ssoiiii 

Economic Aspect of the Liquor Problem 

By John Kori n 
r.ifs. W. O. Atwatcr, llci, 

iickway, John Graham I 

11 I). Wrl^'ht, a sul). • 

ij^ate the Liquor I'l 
i:V W. h'AU ■ I 

I lie iiivfsli 



HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO., Boston 



XX". 'I\ lx*<><>l» 



Men's, Women's and Children's Easy Boots and Shoes 

LADIES', MEN'S & CHILDREN'S FURNISHINGS 
MILLINERY, Etc 

541 & 547 Mass Ave I and 3 Norfolk Street 



COAL 

J^chiyh 

I ^ a wanna 
Shuinokin 

Franklin 
Cuinb: 1 



IllNNKWKLL 




iiiii St., ('niiiir)it. 



WOOD 

Pine Birch 

Maple 

Oak Spruce 

Hemlock 



Odd < > I O-i I >f niiiii. \ 1 
II nrattl< SI 



•^1 FINE •?• FURS 1^ 

Order Work a Specialty 
Perfection of Style, Fit and Quality Guaranteed 

SI'KC lAI. A'lTKNTION C.IVKN TO TMK 

CARE AND STORAGE OF FURS DURING THE SUMMER 

A I'UI.I. LINK OK 

EIc .M t dip.- , ('oUarettes, Muffs, Neck^vcar, Trimmings, etc., 
in every kind of fur 
■ \M KACTURK AT KKASOX \r.l r VV.]<\ 

OLD PURS 

hanged, or made into stylish 
liable prices. 

iVI. LARNER, Manuiacturing Furrier 

948 Missa,chusetts Ave. Cambridjj'c, Mass. 



